Thera 1.12: Gavaccha,Elder
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(12):Gavaccha the Elder Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter I. Single Verses =12. Gavaccha the Elder= He was reborn in this Buddha's days as the son of Samiddhi, a brahmin(priest) of the village of Nālaka in Magadha. And he entered the Monk’s order because Sāriputta1 had done so, and he knew that Sariputta was very wise. After he had attained arahantship(enlightenment), and was enjoying the bliss of emancipation(nirvana), he uttered his saying(gatha) to encourage his fellow-disciples to make efforts: ---- 12 Paññābalī sīlavatūpapanno|| Samāhito jhānarato satīmā|| Yadatthiyaɱ bhojanaɱ bhuñjamāno|| Kaŋkhetha kālaɱ idha vītarāgo'ti.|| ---- 12 In wisdom strong, guided by virtue's rule, intent, To concentration's rapture given, yet vigilant; Having such treatment as brings you only good: So in the faith,2 with passions quenched, await the hour. ---- 1 His fellow-townsman. See CCLIX.; Sisters, p. 98. 2 Idha; lit. 'here,' 'here below,' is technically used as above, and is so interpreted. ---- 1.2-212 Commentary on the stanza of =Mahāvaccha Thera= The stanza starting with paññābalī is that of the thera Mahāvaccha. What is the origin? It is said that this one offered the charity of drinking water to the Glorious Buddha Padumuttara as well as to the clergy of bhikkhus. Again, he became a devotee (upasaka) at the time of the Blessed One Sikhi and did much meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths. Due to those deeds of merit he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths but in this and good existence and was reborn as the son of a brahmin, named Samiddhi in the village of Nālaka, in the kingdom of Magadha, at the time of the appearance of this Buddha. His name was Mahāvaccha. On having come of age, he heard about the venerable Sāriputta’s having become a disciple of Buddha, said to himself thus: “Even he, namely, of great wisdom had approached to become disciple of such a One, who must but be, methinks. The foremost personage in this world,” roused up his pious faith in the Blessed One, became a monk in the presence of the Master, accordingly angaged himself in mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna) and attained Arahantship but before long. Therefore, it has been stated in the Apadāna:– “Being pious-minded and good hearted towards Buddha Padumuttara and in His clergy of bhikkhus(monks) who had no superior I filled up drinking-water jars. Whether on hill-top or tree-top or in the sky or else on earth, as and when I need drinking water, it springs up to me quickly. A hundred thousand aeons (kappa) ago from now, I offered such an offering then; I do not remember any adversity (duggati) this is the fruition of offering of drinking water. My depravity (kilesa) had been burnt; … All existences had been eliminated; six sorts of higher-knowledge had been visualised; Buddha’s instruction (sāsana) had been carried out. Having thus attained Arahantship, however, while enjoying the bliss of emancipation (vimutti), he uttered a stanza, starting with “Paññābalī” for the prupose of provoking the effort of fellow leader of holy lives (sabrahmacārī) by making manifest the state of leading out (niyyānika) of saṃsāra, which the dispensation (sāsana) facilitates. 12. There the expression paññābalī is to be constured as:– being constantly complete with excessive strength of wisdom (paññā) by way of fostering (pārihāriya) wisdom and wisdom of spiritual insight (vipassanā). The expression sīlavatūpapanno means:– furmished and endowed with such moral precepts as the four all-round pure precepts, (catupārisuddhi sīla) which had reached the stage of superiority and with such observance (vata), reckoned as austere activity (dhuta dhamma). Samāhito means being well-composed by mean of such concentration (samādhi) of such varieties as access (upacāra) and conception (appanā), Jhānarato means being delighted in and ever specially devoted to the reflection (upanijjhāna) on object of thought (arammaṇa) and reflection on characteristics (lakkhaṇa), as a result of that even. Satimā means being possessed of mindfulness by way of being attentive (avippavāsa) by means of mindfulness at all times. Yadatthiyaṃ is to be construed as by which prupose (atthiya), undeprived of (anapeta) advantage (atha); there is the advantage (atthiya) of all-round enjoyment of meal to one who partakes of as and how he likes (yathā paccaya); likewise is bhijanaṃ bhuñjamāno. Indeed, by the enjoyment of owner (sāmi) it is of advantage or by the enjoyment of the heritage (dāyajja); it should be observed as mere pointing out also that it is not the meal in any other manner. Either it is eaten or all-round partaken; thus, it is meal (bhojana); the four requisites (paccaya). There is an alternative reading as “yadatthikaṃ;” requisites had been permitted by the Master for whatever purpose to the advantage of whosoever, that purpose is for the stability (ṭhiti) of the body and so on; that also is for the prupose of such nibbāna as would leave behind no substratum of existence (anupādisesa). Therefore, eating the requisite meal for the purpose of anupādaparinibbāna, thereafter even kaṇkhetha kālaṃ (await time) one should wait for the time of passing away completely into nibbāna without leaving any substratum of existence. Idha means in this dispensation (sāsana). Vītarāgo means to the outsider, however, who has become devoid of lust (rāga) this does not exist; thus, is the meaning. The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Mahāvaccha is complete. **********oOo********* ----